Broom-bridle holder.



Patented July 13, 1915.

Inventor V Attorneys A; c. AL-THOUSE.

BROOM vBRIDLE HOLDER.

A APPLICATION HLED AUG.'2I. 1914.

Witnesses COLUMBXA mnoomn OOIIWANHNOTON, D C- rinrr r ret res ALBERT C. ALTI-IOUSE, F DUBLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BROOM-BBIDLE HOLDER.

riaaesi.

Dublin, in the county of Bucks and State of' Pennsylvania, have invented anew and use ful Broom Bridle Holder,of whichthe following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a broom bridle and the present invention aims to provide a device of this type which is attached to the solid portion of the broom head by "means of braces, the construction beingvsuch that the bridle may be shifted upwardly with respect to the braces, without removing froni'the broom, certain securing elements which unite opposed portions of the bridle and pass through the loose portions of the bristles of the broom. c

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combina: tion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings-:Figure 1 shows in elevation, a broom to which the present invention has been applied; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the bridle detached from the broom; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the bridle.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the head of a broom comprising a plurality of bristles, closely compacted as shown at 2, adjacent the top of the broom head, the bristles being secured togetherin the usual manner by rows of stitching indicated at 3. The lower portions of the bristles of the head 1 are loose, as usual, as indicated at 4.

The bridle includes a pair of U-shaped strips 5, each strip 5 comprising a short arm 6 and a longer arm 7 In the short arm 6, near its end is formed an opening 8 and a plurality of openings 9 are formed in the long arm 7 A pair of retractile springs 10 are provided, the springs 10 terminating in hooks 11. One hook of each spring is engaged in the opening 8 and the other hook 11 may be en- Application filed August 21,

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 13, 1915,

1914. serial No. 857,953.

gaged in any of the openings 9. A tie 12 is provided, the same preferably taking the form of a rod, provided at its ends with hooks 1 1 One hook 14: is engaged in the opening 8 and the other hook 1 1 may be engaged in any of the openings9. When it is desired to hold the bristles of the broom compacted with considerable firmness, the tie 12 connects the extremities of the arms 6 and 7 as shown in the drawings but when it is desired that the bristles of the broom shallbe yieldingly held together, one of the hooks 14 of. the ties 12 are removed from the openings 9, whereupon the springs 10 will exercise their obvious function.

Inserted into the solid, compacted portion 2 of the head 1 of the broom are securing elements 15, which may be bolt and nut structures, these securing elements preferably being located between certain of the rows of stitching indicated at 3. Each se curing element 15 is adapted to be received in a hole 16 formed in the upper end of a downwardly extended brace 20. Adjacent its lower end, the brace is provided with a longitudinally extended row of openings 17 in any one of which openings 17 may be mounted a bolt 18. The bolt 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 connects the arms 6 and 7. Nuts 19 are applied to the ends of the bolt 18 and bear against the outer faces of the braces 20.

In order to adjust the bridle vertically, the nuts 20 are detached and the lower ends of the braces 20 are sprung outwardly, to free them from the bolts 18. Then, the bridle may be slid upwardly to assume an adjusted position, the bolts 18 subsequently being inserted into certain of the openings 17 and the nuts 19 being reapplied. It is to be observed that during this operation, the bolts 18 slide upwardly through the loose portions 4 of the bristles of the broom head. The securing elements 15 which are mounted in the closely compacted portion 2 of the head 1 need never be disturbed after they are once mounted in place. Owing to the presence of the springs 10, which form yieldable connections 12 between the ends of the respective strips 5, the bridle is given suliicient flexibility so that it can be adjusted vertically. When the bridle is in place, however, and when the nuts 19 are tightened up, the bolts 18 force the arms 6 and 7 of the respective strips firmly against the broom head and aid in holding the bridle in place. Owing to the presence of the bolts 18 it is unnecessary to form upon the inner faces of the strips 5 teeth or the like, to hold the bridle in place. The bristles of the broom, therefore, .are inj ured to a minimum extent and, at the same time, the necessary vertical adjustment is afforded. Especial attention is directed to the fact that after the securing elements are once mounted in place and assembled with the braces these securing elements need never be disturbed. The adjustment takes place at the lower ends of the braces.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A broom bridle comprising a pair of hookshaped strips each embodying a long arm, a short arm and an intermediate bend conmeeting the arms; bolts connecting the arms of the respective strips and located close to the bends; upstanding braces disposed Copies of this patent may be obtained for ends of the braces; and a resilient connection between the long arm of each strip and the short arm of the other strip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed' my signature in the presence'of two witnesses.

, ALBERT C. ALTHOUSE.

Witnesses:

' ANDREW K. STEAK,

HIRAM H. SWART;

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." I I v I 1 

